Mandelson
warns over flags storm
From NEWS LETTER June 3rd, 2000
"It is again clear that Sinn Fein are unfit to be in office and the Ulster Unionists are unfit to negotiate on behalf of unionism." Lagan Valley MP
Jeffrey Donaldson protested that the "anti-British activity" of the Sinn
Féin ministers was continuing unfettered.
He challenged Mr Mandelson to say where he stood on the issue. NIUP leader
Cedric Wilson said: "The time has come for the Prime Minister and Peter Mandelson to come out without any ambiguity and state the Union flag will fly. They cannot remain impartial on the flag of the nation."
Dissident Ulster Unionist Assemblyman Peter Weir said Sinn Fein's move showed
how little the party's supposed recognition of the consent principle meant
in practice.
"Today's controversy does not reflect well on those who sold the Hillsborough
deal as having sorted this problem," he said. Alliance Party leader Sean
Neeson said that in line with the principle of consent the Union flag should
be flown on designated days but he warned against using flags to divide
people. |
